Historical Sew Monthly – Victorian (1860s) Corded Corset

For challenge 6 of the Historical Sew Monthly, I’ve made a Victorian corded corset. It’s the first corded corset I’ve made.

Victorian women’s stays are ‘supported with more or less bones or runners of cotton, according to the age, strength, or constitution of the wearer […] If for ladies, they are made of sattine, or best French jean […] if of an inferior quality, they are made of white, brown, grey, or nankeen jean […] and lined with calico between the doubles. […] It is as well to observe that unless particularly feeble, or otherwise an invalid, it is most desirable to wear as few bones as possible; and that for healthy persons, the two back bones [to protect the lacing eyelets] with the steel in front, are quite sufficient. The casing of the steel in front is sometimes made elastic to the depth of four nails from the top, by means of Indian rubber runners.’ (The Workwoman’s Guide, 1840)

My corded stays are made from two layers of cotton twill, and corded with cotton string.

I’ve made small paper corset mockup from various victorian corset patterns, before I’ve decided to make this 1868 corset (the one at the bottom on the right).

Here’s an 1860s corded corset, and another corded corset with front button closure (ca. in the middle of the page).

I’ve sewn the channels with my sewing machine. In Corsets – Historical Patterns & Techniques, Salen (2008) describes an antique 1860 corded corset, which is also machine stitched. The pattern I’ve used says that ‘all the edges of the [corset] pieces so nearly match that the work can be done by machinery’ (source).

Hi, I’m Lina. I’m interested in historical fashion, I’m a DIY’er, I like to sew and try out new things. On this blog, I’m sharing free sewing, refashion and natural makeup tutorials with you, and write about costumes I’ve created.